lgbtq+ WRITING

Let’s say you want to write a story. You’ve set aside the thinking time, you’ve got the coffee ready, and the laptop is fully charged. All you need is an idea.

But you’re struggling to think of one.

I asked ChatGPT to come up with 50 prompts to help me write a story driven by LGBTQ+ characters. I gave it some criteria:

• They should be brief bullet points;
• They should cover the L, the G, the B, the T, the Q, and the + of LGBTQ+ ;
• They should have some relevance to a British audience;
• They should be creative, rather than just straight narratives with the pronouns changed.

I even asked it to create an image to reflect its thinking process for such a list of ideas…

Below is the list. Feel free to use it as a prompt for your stories. Leave a comment or contact me if you use one – I would love to read it.

1. Lesbian: A historical fiction piece exploring the secret lesbian subculture of Victorian England.
2. Gay: A contemporary drama about a gay British-Pakistani man navigating family expectations and his own identity.
3. Bisexual: A coming-of-age story set in a British seaside town, focusing on a bisexual teenager’s first summer of love and heartbreak.
4. Transgender: A sci-fi narrative where a transgender astronaut from the UK leads a mission to a new planet, exploring themes of identity and belonging in a futuristic setting.
5. Queer: A fantasy epic featuring a queer sorcerer who challenges the traditional gender norms of their magical society.
6. +: A non-binary character’s journey through the British legal system to have their gender recognized beyond the binary.
7. Lesbian: A romantic comedy about two elderly lesbians who decide to get married after decades together, focusing on their family dynamics and societal changes.
8. Gay: A thriller involving a gay detective solving a crime in London’s LGBTQ+ community, uncovering layers of corruption and prejudice.
9. Bisexual: A workplace drama set in a British tech startup, with a bisexual protagonist facing both overt and subtle discrimination.
10. Transgender: A historical drama about a transgender man’s life in 1950s Britain, exploring the intersection of gender, class, and race.
11. Queer: A graphic novel about a group of queer friends navigating life in Manchester, blending humor, romance, and social commentary.
12. +: An anthology of short stories, each focusing on different aspects and identities within the LGBTQ+ community across the UK.
13. Lesbian: A spy novel featuring a lesbian MI6 agent on an undercover mission that challenges her professional and personal identities.
14. Gay: A magical realism tale of a gay couple in rural Wales who discover they can time travel through their dreams.
15. Bisexual: A political drama about a bisexual MP navigating the complexities of public and private life amid a scandal.
16. Transgender: A children’s book about a transgender girl and her dragon friend embarking on a quest to find a magic potion that reveals one’s true self.
17. Queer: A series of interconnected stories set in a queer-owned bookstore in Brighton, each tale uncovering the lives and loves of its customers.
18. +: A speculative fiction exploring a future Britain where society has evolved beyond traditional gender and sexual orientation labels.
19. Lesbian: A mystery novel where a lesbian couple running a bed and breakfast in Scotland stumble upon a historical secret.
20. Gay: A biographical novel about a real-life gay British figure, reimagined with magical elements.
21. Bisexual: A road trip adventure across the UK from the perspective of a bisexual protagonist, exploring diverse LGBTQ+ communities along the way.
22. Transgender: A documentary-style narrative following several transgender individuals from different parts of the UK, exploring their daily lives and challenges.
23. Queer: A dystopian novel where a queer rebel fights against a regime that enforces strict gender and sexuality norms.
24. +: A collection of poems written from the perspective of various LGBTQ+ individuals, reflecting on love, identity, and resistance in contemporary Britain.
25. Lesbian: A play set in Northern Ireland, focusing on a lesbian couple’s struggle for marriage equality.
26. Gay: A horror story centered around a gay protagonist who encounters a supernatural being tied to LGBTQ+ history.
27. Bisexual: A YA novel about a bisexual girl who discovers a secret society of LGBTQ+ superheroes in London.
28. Transgender: An investigative journalism piece turned into a narrative, uncovering the lives of transgender elders in the UK and their untold stories.
29. Queer: A futuristic novella where a queer individual navigates life in a utopian society that celebrates all forms of love and identity.
30. +: A series of vignettes from the lives of people under the “+” spectrum, highlighting asexual, pansexual, and intersex experiences in Britain.
31. Lesbian: A cozy mystery series featuring a lesbian detective duo in the Cotswolds.
32. Gay: A historical novel set during the Blitz, exploring the secret lives of gay men in London.
33. Bisexual: A campus novel set in a British university, with a bisexual protagonist exploring their identity amidst academic and social pressures.
34. Transgender: A fantasy series with a transgender prince who must navigate royal duties and personal truth in a kingdom filled with magic and intrigue.
35. Queer: A sitcom-style series of stories set around a queer café in Bristol, focusing on the lives and laughs of its staff and patrons.
36. +: An interactive digital novel that allows readers to explore the lives of various LGBTQ+ characters, each path revealing different aspects of British LGBTQ+ culture.
37. Lesbian: A sci-fi story about a lesbian couple fighting to save a dying Earth and find a new home for humanity.
38. Gay: A memoir-style novel about growing up gay in a small British town and the journey to find acceptance.
39. Bisexual: A period drama about a bisexual artist in the Bloomsbury Group, exploring themes of creativity and sexual freedom.
40. Transgender: A crime drama featuring a transgender detective, breaking stereotypes and solving high-profile cases in London.
41. Queer: A musical set in the West End, telling the story of a queer theatre troupe’s fight to save their venue from closure.
42. +: A virtual reality experience that simulates the life of someone exploring their gender and sexuality, set against the backdrop of modern-day UK.
43. Lesbian: A sports drama about a lesbian footballer facing discrimination and fighting for equality in the sport.
44. Gay: A fantasy romance about a gay witch in Edinburgh discovering ancient magic that could change the world.
45. Bisexual: A spy thriller with a bisexual protagonist using their skills to navigate espionage and love in equal measure.
46. Transgender: A high fantasy novel where a transgender mage seeks the ancient texts that will help them transition with magic.
47. Queer: A series of essays from queer voices across the UK, discussing current issues, hopes, and dreams for the future.
48. +: A podcast series dramatizing true stories from the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting unique challenges and triumphs.
49. Lesbian: A romance novel where a lesbian widow finds love again with a younger woman, challenging both societal norms and personal fears.
50. Gay: A comedy about a gay man’s misadventures in dating, set against the backdrop of London’s vibrant LGBTQ+ scene.